)
International hotel operator La Vie Hotels & Resorts has partnered with Marriott International to bring the Le Méridien brand to Lindeman Island in Queensland's Whitsundays, with the 209-room resort expected to open in late 2027 following a $60 million renovation.
Le Méridien Lindeman Island Resort & Spa will mark Marriott's first property in the Whitsundays and its first collaboration with La Vie Hotels & Resorts.
The resort is owned by Singapore-based Well Smart Group, which acquired the island in 2023 for about $10 million.
The news comes seven months after La Vie secured management rights for the resort and flagged plans to attach an international luxury brand to the property, which has sat dormant for years after being battered by Cyclone Debbie in 2017.
The $60 million renovation will deliver 200 rooms and nine suites across the 70-hectare island site, which is accessible via a 20-minute boat ride from Hamilton Island Airport.
Le Méridien Lindeman Island will be the second Le Méridien property in Australia after Le Méridien Melbourne.
Richard Crawford, Marriott International’s vice president of hotel development in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, says the new resort will join the group's existing "high performing" Queensland assets, located in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Port Douglas.
"Whilst the Whitsunday Islands has been a much-loved destination for Australian travellers since the 1980s, visitation from international markets has been inhibited by a limited offering of international branded resorts," says Crawford.
"We are excited about the potential for Marriott’s leading distribution platforms and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, which now has nearly 283 million members, to elevate the global profile and appeal of this remarkable destination.
"Well Smart Group’s commitment to a full hotel refurbishment, and our first collaboration with La Vie Hotels & Resorts, make this a landmark advancement for Marriott.
"Born in an era of glamorous travel, for decades Le Méridien has believed that everyone should explore the world in style - and we couldn’t be more excited to deliver that same opportunity on the newly imagined Lindeman Island.”
Well Smart Group director Jack Jia says the signing of Le Méridien represents "a defining moment" for the island's revival.
"Le Méridien's global reputation for design-led luxury and its celebration of culture and the good life is the perfect fit for what we are creating here in the Whitsundays," says Jia.
"This is a destination with a proud history, and together with La Vie Hotels & Resorts and the Marriott Bonvoy platform behind us, we are confident Lindeman Island will reclaim its place as one of Australia's most iconic resort experiences - and take its rightful position on the world stage."
The redevelopment is expected to generate about 500 ongoing jobs and has received support from the Queensland Government's Growing Futures Tourism Program, which in its first round provided funding for a 50-metre jetty at Lindeman Island.
La Vie Hotels & Resorts CEO Jerry Xu describes the partnership as "a landmark moment" for the company.
"Working with Marriott International to bring Le Méridien to the Whitsundays marks our first collaboration, we could not be more proud of what that means for this project," says Xu.
"The Marriott Bonvoy platform gives Lindeman Island immediate access to a global audience of hundreds of millions of loyal travellers, and Le Méridien's creative, design-led identity is a natural match for the extraordinary natural beauty we are restoring here.
"This is the beginning of an exciting new stage for the project, and we look forward to building a strong and enduring relationship with Marriott International as we bring this iconic Australian destination back to life."
Marriott currently operates more than 9,900 properties globally across 17 brands in Australia and has a pipeline of 12 Australian properties.
The hospitality giant has been expanding its luxury and resort footprint in the country, with Jason Nuell, Marriott International's regional vice president, telling media earlier this year that Australia's luxury travel segment was delivering strong performance metrics.
The broader master plan for Lindeman Island carries a price tag of $583 million, though the first stage centres on the $60 million resort renovation.
)
